The American people have spoken -- they'd take Bill Clinton back in a heartbeat

Former President of the United States Bill Clinton is as popular today as when he was inaugurated in 1993. A new Gallup poll shows that 66 percent of Americans have a favorable view of Irish American Clinton.

The poll’s favorable results are welcome news for Democrats in the run up to the Democratic National Convention where Clinton is set to be the most influential speaker other than Obama. Clinton will formally nominate Barack Obama as the Democratic Party’s 2012 nominee for president, reports The Hill.

According to the survey’s results, “Clinton's solid popularity with Americans today might help attract new support to Obama from outside the party, particularly from whites, men, seniors, and political independents -- all important voting groups that Obama is struggling with in trial heats against Republican Mitt Romney.”

The Convention will run from 3rd to 6th September, in Charlotte, North Carolina. On 5th September, Clinton is set to discuss the US economy while also formally announcing Obama’s nomination.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who will chair the convention, told USA Today, “President Clinton oversaw the longest economic expansion in U.S. history, pursuing many of the same policies that President Obama is proposing and implementing today.”

Obama’s senior strategist David Axelrod added that Obama personally chose Clinton to deliver this speech. He said “There's no one around who has greater standing to talk about the economy, about where we've been and how to build a strong economy for the future."

Back in 2008, Clinton’s speech in support of Barack Obama’s presidential campaign was seen as a major boost for the first-time president, winning him the support of those who had previously backed Hillary Clinton.

The new poll shows that Clinton would influence Republican voters with almost half (44 percent) of Republicans polled agreeing that they viewed him favorably. Clinton could up Obama’s numbers among non-white voters and young voters with 80 percent and 71 percent, respectively, showing support. Sixty-eight percent of men and 63 percent of women view Clinton favorably.

In the past, Clinton’s lowest rating in this type of poll was 28 percent.

This survey involved 1,014 adults, from across the 50 states. The survey took place between the 9th and 12th July 2012.